Lamb and Flag, Covent Garden

The Lamb and Flag is a Grade II listed public house at Rose Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2.[1]

The Lamb and Flag
The Lamb and Flag
TypePublic house
LocationRose Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2
Coordinates51°30′41.76″N 0°7′32.16″W / 51.5116000°N 0.1256000°W / 51.5116000; -0.1256000
Founded1772
Listed Building – Grade II
Official nameTHE LAMB AND FLAG PUBLIC HOUSE
Designated15-Jan-1973
Reference no.1265122

The building is erroneously said to date back to Tudor times, and to have been a licensed premises since 1623, but in fact dates from the early 18th century,[2] or according to its official listing, perhaps from 1688.[1] The building became a pub in 1772.[2]

Situated in what was a violent area of Covent Garden, the pub's upstairs room once hosted bare-knuckle prize fights,[3] leading to it being nicknamed "The Bucket of Blood".[4] A plaque on the building commemorates an attack on John Dryden in a nearby alley in 1679, when Charles II sent men to assault Dryden in objection to a satirical verse against Louise de Kérouaille, Charles II's mistress.[5] Writer Charles Dickens frequented the pub in the 19th century.

Many of the internal fittings are Victorian woodwork or earlier, including a remaining partition, meriting the pub a maximum three-star rating as a Real Heritage Pub.[6]

The pub was refaced with brick in 1958.[7] It has been operated by Fuller, Smith & Turner since 2011.[8]

References

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  1. ^ a b Historic England, "The Lamb and Flag public house (1265122)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 2 October 2014
  2. ^ a b Flude, Kevin; Herbert, Paul (1 May 1990). Citisights: Guide to London. Virgin Books Limited. ISBN 9780863693533 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ Fodor, Eugene (27 September 1994). Fodor's Great Britain. Fodor's Travel Publications, Inc. ISBN 9780679027201 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ Balfour, Michael (1970). Help Yourself in London: A Guide to Services, Facilities and Things to Do. Garnstone Press. ISBN 9780900391378 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ Publishing, D. K. (1 February 2012). DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: London: London. Dorling Kindersley Limited. ISBN 9781405393140 – via Google Books.
  6. ^ "Lamb & Flag". Pub Heritage Historic Pub Interiors. CAMRA. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  7. ^ Richardson, John (1 January 1979). Covent Garden. Historical Publications Limited. ISBN 9780950365619 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ Gerrard, Neil (27 June 2011). "Fuller's buys the Lamb & Flag in Covent Garden". The Caterer. Retrieved 20 March 2024.

51°30′42″N 0°07′32″W / 51.5116°N 0.1256°W / 51.5116; -0.1256